Alright, I filmed 2 new sparring videos with my brother. This time there was some safety equipment involved so I could go a little faster and harder. The second video is kind of dark, and I have on black pants so it's a little hard to see, hopefully you can make the kicks out though. I really love posting these videos. I am always ready to improve, and everyone here is a big help. Watching the videos myself, I can even see some of my own mistakes, such as like someone pointed out, I sometimes drop my hands when I kick. So here are the two videos.

So, I'd like to know what everyone thinks. I would also like to hear from some other Tkd people, because I have been told by students from other Tkd schools that when they see people in our school spar it doesn't look like what they refer to "real tkd." Whatever that is. I would also, of course, like to know what mistakes I'm making and what I need to improve on. Something I'm really curious about is how this sparring compares to sparring in other arts, different forms of karate or kung fu.

Would it be a hard transition from Tkd to Kyokushin? As I've mentioned before, I'm moving to Tampa in the summer, and would like to do a Japanese or Okinawan art, I'm not even sure if there is a legitamate Kyokushin school in the area, but I would just like to know if the transition would be hard. And how would you say between these two videos, and the self defense videos that I am progressing? I will have been 4 years in the arts as of the beginning of January. Based on your experience, do I seem to be below average, average, or above for someone practicing for my amount of time?

_________________________
To subdue the enemy without fighting is the highest skill."
~ Sun Tzu ~

One...don't consider average...or other subjective terms. As long as you are progressing. Good.

As far as suggestions, I couldn't get your first video up. For the second vid, I would suggest a little more zing in the techniques (but I understand that you are doing this with your brother in your yard) and one big caution for sparring across styles: I saw both hands dropping a couple of times to block.

Bad for two reasons: 1) The first is that this sets up an opportunity for a head shot if you go for a low block with both arms; and 2) the blocking that I saw both you and your brother doing is using your hands...sort of palming the top of the kicking leg. If the kicks were harder, there is a real chance to break or injure your hand doing it this way.

As for Kyokushin. Different kicking delivery, low kicks, and no pads. The similarties and the slight differences will probably bug you between TKD and Kyokushin, rather than the techniques that are completely different. Especially the kicking, I think.

Also, Kyokushin sparring normally goes on (depends on the school)...meaning points are delivered only if you can get your opponent to react to the strike without stoppage in the bout.....a good, technical kick, for instance, that doesn't make the person turn, or falter, will not count as scoring.

You will also have to learn how to take good body shots without the padding and gloves. Depends upon your age and how any particular Kyokushin instructor teaches. But Kyokushin is a good style.

Ya don't say average, because that doesn't matter. As long as you are learning and working hard it's all good. Besides to say that would be like comparing ones skill to anothers which is not good.

I will be real interested to see how you spar with some of the guys at your school. If you could video that and post it. It would than be a little easier understand, than with you backyard sparring with your bro.

yup, keep the hands up. I notice when you kick, IMO it has some problems with form. to much lifting the leg up with a slight tap. All kicks start from the lifting of the knee. And than good snap. Some RH's can be done with out the knee going up first but work on form always. No offense but kicking like that is a sure opening for a takedown, or the defender to simply smash your foot with his knee. Maybe throw you off balance.

For the sake of your partner, try not to chase em so much. I have seen a lot of people do that, and more experianced MA's will use it agaisnt and you won't want to move in so much. Stepping forward is okay but if they get away than don't chase, instead of going forward and back you can work on side stepping as defense, that way you aren't running, but gaining an advantage.

The sparring I have seen in Kung Fu is when the put the wrists togethor and start moving, attacking, defending, joint lock attempts. BUt always keeping in contact, real close. It's rather difficult.

At my karate class when we spar, we'll hit each other some what fast but only hard enough to get your attention. Form is always worked on. If Sensei see's bad form it's pushups, and more Kihon practice.

Happy Training

oh ya your brother needs plenty of work too, especially with those hands.

So how exactly should the kicking be done then? I'm slightly confused. I really wish I could join up with a better school now, but there are just so many bad schools in my area, the one I'm at now is the best withing about an hour and a half of my house. There are just so many things he doesn't teach us, there are also alot of things he doesnt correct or work on us with. But again, he's can only teach what he was taught. When I move to Tampa I would really love to find a traditional and legitamate Karate school, Kyokushin, or Goju.....well my real dream is a Daito Ryu school but I don't think ill have much luck with that. I'd also love to find a BJJ school to train at to work on groundwork. It would be a dream come true, it really would lol.

_________________________
To subdue the enemy without fighting is the highest skill."
~ Sun Tzu ~

It's not as easy as asking how something can or should be done, but what utility you want to get out of it.

As Kenpo and Goju intimated, hands up. But, you won't recognize the need for this if you don't train with head punches. Leg kicks are another thing to consider as far as stance and body movement is concerned.

You won't recognize the liabilities in certain techniques unless you allow other, outside influences, into your training. This also means being at an advanced enough state in your art to know when to keep some techniques and not just throw everything out.

Keep practicing...and there should be lots of different MA styles in Florida.

in my humble opinion, forget the sparring for a while. work on kicks with focus pads and a bag. also, get some arm pads and let your bro kick as hard as he can right to your mid section (not off to the side) like he is really trying to hit you. with the arm pads, you can block without breaking anything. learn to block by *deflecting* the kicks, don't meet the kicks head on with your forearm. You have to get the basics down so that you can spar with power and not worry about getting hurt or hurting the other person. protective gear is always a good idea until you really get safer blocking down cold.also, don't forget about the principals in the SD techniques that you first showed....in those techniques, did you step back and then step in? no. you held your ground and stepped in. later, you won't even wait for the attack to finish...you should be able to step in before his attack is even finished...this is a very effective tactic in sparring- always throws people off.tactics like:he kicks, you step back.he kicks, you step back.he kicks again, and you step forward while guiding his kick off and counter even before his foot hits the ground.

That's one thing that I really need to work on myself. Stepping in on the attack, deflecting, and countering. It's kinda tricky I think, takes lots of practice. I mainly have a problem with plain confidence in doing it. That's a bubble I need to break free from.

Eric, Good job! Like others have said the only thing that matters is that you are progressing. In my opinion you need to keep your hands up,even when your oppponent kicks.Work with your hands more,much less kicking.When I made the switch from TKD to karate I had a hard time with this,but the hands are much more effective to me.

_________________________ Skinny,Bald,and Handsome! Fightingarts Warrior of the year

I would take everyones advice here and keep your hands up at ALL times. Don't get into the habit of blocking too much with your hands, blocking with your hands is okay, but then your hands go down and you don't have full gaurd. Try to block the kicks with your legs instead. For example, if someone throws a side kick or a thai kick, lift the knee up in the direction the kick is coming at you, then that can set you up for a back hand strike or whatever techniques you prefer. You can also intercept the kicks, if someone kicks at you with lets say a front kick, you bend the leg very quicky with the knee pointed down, meanwhile at the same time step down so that the point of the knee goes into the kick, you can do this very quickly, and if done right you can even damage the leg. You can also intercept the kick, kick-the-kick, or not even block at all, just dodge. These are ofcourse things I recommend, only my opinion.